02 Juli 2011

Turkey, Indonesia Close to Sealing Key Submarine Deal

Indonesia is expected to shake hands with Turkey soon on the production of two submarines, a Turkish Ministry of Defense official has told Today's Zaman.

Speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the ministry's policy, the source said bilateral talks were launched between the two allies when Indonesia made Turkey the offer because of “recent notable improvements in the Turkish shipbuilding industry as well as Turkey's constructive foreign policy approach.” Those talks, according to the official, have proven “very productive” and “the deal is very close.”Once the expected deal between the two states is signed, Turkish defense firm Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş. (STM) will partner with German Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) for the construction of two Type 209 submarines for Indonesian naval forces in the Gölcük shipyard in northwestern Turkey.

The Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarines are also used by Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and can reach a speed of 11 knots (20 kilometers/hour) at the surface and up to 22.5 knots when submerged. They are armed with eight bow 533 millimeter torpedo tubes and 14 torpedoes. They can carry 38 staff onboard.

The official also expressed hope that Turkey could receive more and bigger defense orders from overseas as it continues to improve its production capacity. Presently, Turkey has one defense industry exports office in Washington, D.C., and plans to open three more offices in Belgium and Qatar as well as in either Azerbaijan or Turkmenistan.